The people living around Gombe Stream mainly belong to the Ha tribe, descendants of the Bantus, one of Tanzania's first settlers who came from West Africa centuries ago. Their land, which they call "Buha," is composed of woodlands and grasslands, enabling them to make agriculture their primary livelihood. In addition to planting root crops and peanuts using the hoe technology the government taught them, they also grow goats and cattle, which are normally sent out as wedding gifts.
The Has live in extended families, which have acquired several Tutsi people as members. They acknowledge a Supreme Being dubbed Imana but also practice ancestral worship, as evident in their cults and shrines. They also believe that nature spirits roam in their lands.
Religious missionaries have tried to convert these hermit people but it was not until the 19th century that they welcomed the Arabs, who have influenced their culture, like the wearing of keffiyeh or Islamic hat.